The project representing an investment of 1

The small town of the Mauges is organized to better take advantage of its sector related to the medicinal and aromatic plants on economic, science and tourism.

Commune of 6500 inhabitants located in the Mauges (Maine-et-Loire), Chemillé-Cholet boasts to be one of the first French centres for the production of medicinal and aromatic plants. This culture began at the end of the 19th, first with chamomile, which constituted a complement of income for rural families, then the rose of Provins. "Even two decades ago, almost all families had their square of Chamomile," says Gilles Levy, President of Phytolia, association, which represents the industry medicinal and aromatic plants in the greater West. Culture is added to the collection of wild plants for the pharmaceutical industry, which allowed to maintain up to date a rare Botanical knowledge.

This expertise will give rise to an activity trading whose main heirs are today the Herbalism Cailleau, Promoplantes, specialist plant for homeopathy, or the French subsidiary of Martin Bauer, processor and supplier of extracts for the industry. The whole is reinforced with the relocation of Paris, in 1985, the Institute of agronomic research applied to the development of plants, medicinal and aromatic perfume (Itepmai), centre for applied research involving 15 people and connecting Chemillé-Cholet some 60 agencies, laboratories and industrial companies.

Today, the die plants medicinal work 200 people in the country, where there are almost 600 hectares of culture including bio, traditional and industrial crops such as pyrethrum insecticides used, or the opium poppy, poppy to morphine. It is also pushing the nettle, the feverfew or the Fumaria. "Local producers have developed the art of growing difficult to cultivate, because some flourish in brownfield," continues Gilles Levy, who believes to nearly 400 plants the local catalog. "The sector is deemed to be cool babas, while here we cultivate plants extracted anti-cancer molecules for clients such as Pierre Fabre or Novartis."

This communication deficit has justified the creation of Phytolia in March. The association aims to better identify the players in the West in the eyes of the industry. It also seeks to revive the spirit of die by creating links of agriculture in the final transformation (pharmacy, cosmetic, nutraceutical or feed) via extractors and primary processing. Another issue is scientific. In the pole of competitiveness of the angevin plant, global vocation, Phytolia is placed on a program of research on antioxidants, involving the Faculty of pharmacy of Angers and the Itepmai.

The herb is also at the heart of the Centre of rural excellence (PER) labeled in June by the Government. One of the components, called "Camifolia", aims to develop the Botanical Garden of the Arzillé Park, in the centre of Chemillé, an area of 1 hectare which was once a reserve plants and seed managed in common by the professionals of the sector. Transformed into a public garden free of access, there still 350 medicinal and aromatic plants are about 6,000 passionate botanical each year despite a fairly confidential fame.

The project, representing an investment of 1.5 million, provides triple the surface of the garden and create a building home to the public with a modern greenhouses and exhibition hall. "This space will allow to create a showcase for the sector", hope Bruno Gaudin, researcher at the Itepmai and Vice-President of the community of communes, charge of the case. Developers are planning to double the attendance, which could reach term 70,000 visitors a year, as the Park East of Maulévrier, located 20 kilometres.

A botanical Parks Road, integrating the future Terra Botanica of Angers, is ultimately envisaged.